The Arrangement
by aplaceinthestars
Summary: Tenel Ka's scheming grandmother has not only decided that it's time for Tenel Ka to get married, but that she will personally select her granddaughter's suitor. And who better to step in but Jacen?
1. 1

A Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights Fan Fiction  
By Maiko  
Disclaimer: Sorry everyone, but none of these characters belong to me!  
  
Part One  
Dreams  
  
What about one simple nightmare can make one act so strangely? Tenel Ka, warrior of Dathomir and Princess of Hapes would go on to ponder this for a long time before reaching a conclusion. She sat up in her bed, looking around her modest student room at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy on the jungle moon Yavin 4. She blinked a few times and was surprised to note that it was still quite dark. She glanced at the chronometer on the wall and frowned. It would be hours before the rest of the academy was awake. So why had she risen so early?  
  
Then, like a flood of terror, the nightmare all washed back to her. The initial fright gave her such a start that she had to lie back down. She remembered now the terrible dream that had awakened her. More terrifying, maybe, was that the dream was only a reflection of what she had actually been through.  
  
It was in Cloud City, on the gas planet Bespin. Assassins had been pursuing Tenel Ka, Lowbacca, Em Teedee, and Jacen Solo through the chrome tunnels of the floating metropolis. Tenel Ka remembered the distinct, terrible feeling of the floor dropping out from beneath her feet. The friends (except for Em Teedee, flying with microrepulsorjets) had fallen.she and Lowbacca had managed to grip onto a hanging antenna, but Jacen.Tenel Ka tried desperately to block the next image from her mind. It hadn't bothered her for months-why now?  
  
But the picture came. Tenel Ka with Lowbacca's claws cutting deep wounds in her arm, reaching out desperately with her legs to catch Jacen as he fell.and the stomach-turning feeling of his hand slipping off her leg. The talons in her arm could never match the ache in her heart when she looked down and caught his liquid brown eyes for that fleeting instant before he fell. Soon after, she had passed out.  
  
Of course, Jacen had lived-something Tenel Ka was more grateful for than she could ever tell anyone. But not in the dream. In her nightmare (my worst nightmare, she thought silently) the last thing Tenel Ka heard was Jacen's desperate calls to her as he fell.fell so far into the swirling clouds of Bespin. And in the dream, she was not given the dubious relief of passing out. She was not spared seeing Jacen fall until he was crushed by the pressure of Bespin's never-ending clouds.  
  
Tenel Ka shook away the horrible thought. Why would these images be coming back to her now? Or ever, for that matter, she chided herself. She was a Dathomirian warrior, a Jedi Knight! There was no place in her life for these strange and weak emotions. She wobbled slightly before lying back down, suddenly lightheaded. A thought came over her. What if something had happened to Jacen? It was certainly one of the more irrational thoughts she'd ever had. Wasn't it? She frowned at her own indecision and lack of emotional control. If you're that certain he's in trouble, she told herself, go see for yourself. She quietly slid open her door and began walking down the hall.  
  
She tiptoed silently towards Jacen's room. She stopped just a few doors before. You didn't sense anything. Part of her mind insisted. You are being a fool. Her forehead creased again and she took another step-only to find herself jumping a meter into the air as a gentle touch rested on her shoulder.  
  
"Tenel Ka? Everything okay?" It was Jacen. He didn't seem to find it necessary to bring up why either of them might be walking the halls in the middle of the night.  
  
For once, Tenel Ka could find absolutely nothing to say. "I-" After a few moments of just studying his concerned expression, she found the strength to speak. "Yes, Jacen, my friend. Thank you."  
  
But he did not stop gazing worriedly at her. "No," he said. "Something's bothering you."  
  
Tenel Ka took in a sharp breath at being read so easily. Had she let a nightmare make her that visibly shaken? Or was it something else? In an attempt to cover her surprise, she quickly dodged his concern. "Why-why are you out here?" She realized immediately that it was a foolish inquiry-after all, why was she out here?  
  
But to Tenel Ka's surprise, it was Jacen's turn to look nervous about how to answer. "Well, it's really dumb. I guess.uh, I'll just go back to my room now." He moved to walk past her.  
  
"Wait," She said, stepping in front of him. "We are both obviously concerned about something. We may have unconsciously sensed a disturbance. It could be in our best interests to tell each other what is going on." She was almost angry with herself for suggesting it even as she spoke the words. But a lopsided grin lit Jacen's face.  
  
"Yeah. I guess so. But we can't stay out here or someone is bound to wake up and get us all into trouble." He slid open the door to his chamber. "C'mon."  
  
Tenel Ka gave a quick nod and followed him in. She picked up a chair from a desk and turned it around to face Jacen who was seated on his bed. "Alright then." Jacen said. "You want to go first, or me?" Tenel Ka was amused to note Jacen's surprise when she asked him to speak first. But he nodded slowly and began speaking. "Well, I.what woke me up was a nightmare. It's dumb, I know." He let out a deep breath and went on. "It was about when, uh, you.you know, the uh, accident."  
  
Tenel Ka nodded. She unconsciously glanced at the stump of her left arm, severed by Jacen's lightsaber in a training accident.  
  
Jacen continued. "But in the dream, I, um," He swallowed. "Well, I killed you."  
  
"Ah," Tenel Ka said. If this statement had affected her, she did not show it. "Aha."  
  
"I don't know why it's bugging me now," Jacen said. "I mean, that was almost four years ago."  
  
"I have had a similar experience it seems. I too was awakened by a nightmare. Mine was of our ordeal on Cloud City, though, when you fell." She tried to brush off how her voice had quavered slightly, but there was no mistaking the look of unease in Jacen's eyes. "And, much like your dream, you did not survive the fall."  
  
Jacen nodded solemnly. "I don't know what this means, if anything. It could just be a really big coincidence."  
  
"This is a fact."  
  
"But.it could be trying to tell us something."  
  
"This is also a fact." Tenel Ka stood up and started for the door. "But I think we should wait to discuss it further tomorrow."  
  
"Should we tell Jaina and Lowie?" He asked her.  
  
Tenel Ka turned back to him and considered this. If they told them, and uncovered a meaning to Tenel Ka's dream that she had suspected faintly.it would be a very unpleasant situation. "I think," she said finally. "That I would be more comfortable keeping it between the two of us."  
  
Jacen nodded and a small smile crossed his face. He liked the idea of sharing a secret with Tenel Ka. Then again.he liked most anything that involved being able to spend time with Tenel Ka. He looked into her cool, steady gray eyes, which were already looking into his. There was a few seconds where their eyes locked and Jacen thought he could feel a powerful energy between them. He decided it was only his imagination. As Tenel Ka slid the door open, he saw a glint of pink around Tenel Ka's neck in the light.  
"Hey," he said. "That's the necklace I made you, right? From Nicta's gort egg?"  
  
Tenel Ka turned back toward him again. Was she blushing? Couldn't be. "Yes, Jacen my friend." She said, and smiled. Then she walked out of his room and closed the door behind her.  
  
When she had taken a few steps out of the room, Tenel Ka saw that she was looking across the hall at a very amused looking Jaina. "I knew I heard you two talking." She said. Her room was right next to Jacen's and the stone temples provided minimal insulation.  
  
"Ah. Yes, I was." Tenel Ka said, careful to keep her voice calm and collected.  
  
"And.why?" Jaina asked. She was grinning. "It's late, you know."  
  
"We ran into each other in the hallway." Tenel Ka said simply. "We thought it was strange that we would both awaken at the same time and go out into the corridor, so we decided to talk about it." She narrowed her eyes for a minute, studying Jaina's expression. "And that is all." She added.  
  
"I see." Jaina said. Now she was smiling broadly.  
  
"I fail to see the source of amusement." Tenel Ka said.  
  
"Don't you always?" Jaina responded.  
  
"Aha. To identify humor and not respond is one thing. To not see what someone is smiling about-that is something else." She put her hand on her hip.  
  
Jaina shrugged. "So what were you two talking about? Why were you both out here, anyway?"  
  
"We have chosen to keep that between us." She stated simply.  
  
"Ah, okay then," Jaina said. "Personal secret. Hmm."  
  
"I'm not sure if you are trying to imply something," Tenel Ka began. The steadiness was beginning to wear out of her voice.  
  
"Oh no-now what would I be implying?" She asked.  
  
"I do not know." Tenel Ka said flatly. "But as you said before, it is late. I suggest we both get back to bed."  
  
And they both did, but Tenel Ka did not fall asleep again.  
  
Neither did Jacen. 


	2. 2

Part Two  
Arrangements  
  
The next day at morning meal, Jaina was not at all surprised to find Jacen at Tenel Ka already seated. Jaina immediately noticed two things-they were not eating, only talking, for one. Perhaps what she noticed more was that though no one else was at the table, Tenel Ka sat beside Jacen, not across from him as she usually did. She started toward them when a mournful woof informed her of a third thing-Lowie and Zekk were not with them.  
  
She turned to see the two eating their meals at a nearby table. She sat down with them and knew instantly that they were discussing the same thing.  
  
"What a couple, huh?" Zekk said bemusedly. "The walking joke book and the always serious warrior woman. Yeah, some pair." He grinned.  
  
Lowie chuffed with laughter and added his own comment. Jaina nodded. "You're right, Lowie. There's definitely something special going on over there."  
  
"If not special, then very, very strange." Zekk added.  
  
Jaina smiled at him. "Well let's go check it out then." She suggested. She decided not to mention the previous night-as funny as it had been to her, Tenel Ka (and probably Jacen as well) had obviously not wanted to speak about whatever had come between them to anyone else. All three sat down across from Tenel Ka and Jacen, who abruptly stopped talking and turned to their friends.  
  
"Greetings Jaina, Zekk, Lowbacca." Tenel Ka said. She looked at Jaina with a question written on her face clearly-did you tell them?  
  
Jaina discreetly shook her head and she could see Tenel Ka's relief. "So.what have you two been up to?" She asked. She hoped fervently that neither of her friends would take it as a question of the previous night.  
  
"Not a whole lot," Jacen said. He yawned. "Actually, I was thinking maybe we could all take a walk down to the waterfall."  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me." Zekk said. Jaina and Tenel Ka nodded their approval and Lowbacca growled an affirmative.  
  
"Say, where's Em Teedee?" Jacen asked.  
  
Lowie barked a response and then chuffed a question at Jaina. "Oil bath? Sure, I'll go get him. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up."  
  
Jaina walked back towards Lowie's room. Tenel Ka and Lowie were the first ones out into the jungle. Zekk glanced over at Jacen who was watching Tenel Ka with a look of admiration and.maybe something else. "Jacen," He said. Jacen stopped and looked back at him. "Is everything alright?"  
  
He nodded and went back to following the others into the jungle. Zekk narrowed his eyes. No, he thought. It's not. But I'll let you deal with it if that's what you want. "I'll be out in a minute," He said. "Go on without me."  
  
Zekk found himself walking for no good reason to Lowie's room. He gently slid open the door. Inside was Jaina, carefully removing Em Teedee from his oil bath and polishing him off. Zekk leaned on the doorframe and watched her wordlessly. He couldn't help smiling as she wiped the oil off carelessly on her flight suit as she finished her work. He found that he couldn't help himself from thinking how beautiful she was.what was he thinking? Jaina had been his best friend for years! He couldn't think that way. But he wondered about it more as she turned around and smiled at him, looking at him with her deep brown eyes.  
  
"Oh, hi Zekk." She said. "I said you guys could go on without me."  
  
"I know." He said simply.  
  
She studied him for a moment. Dark hair, a shade lighter than black, pulled back in a ponytail. Shimmering green eyes set in a dark corona. "Yeah," She said finally. "Here you are." She smiled slightly. Behind her, Em Teedee had reactivated himself.  
  
"Ah, Mistress Jaina, Master Zekk. I do feel most refreshed." He floated into the air on his microrepulsorjets.  
  
"C'mon, let's catch up with the others!" Zekk said. He grabbed Jaina's hand and the two dashed into the jungle, Em Teedee following closely.  
  
When they reached the water, their friends had already jumped in, racing, splashing, and just swimming around. Jaina and Zekk stripped down to the waterproof undergarments of their flightsuits and dove in. Soon after, though, the Jedi all stopped once as if an electric shock had blasted through the water.  
  
Tenel Ka was the first one out of the water, poking carefully around in the brush while the others pulled their clothes back on. "I sense something," She said. "But I do not believe it is nearby. I suggest we go investigate back at the academy."  
  
They all agreed and quickly retreated to the temples. A large Hapan shuttle was settling down on the grassy landing field. Jacen shot a glance at Tenel Ka. She frowned deeply and walked up to the shuttle. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was headed out to greet the ship as well.  
  
"Master Skywalker," Tenel Ka addressed him. "Were you expecting this?" He just smiled a bit and left Tenel Ka to wonder what to make of the arrival. She hoped passionately that her parents, Teneniel Djo and Prince Isolder were aboard, but inside she knew they were not. Sure enough, Queen Mother Ta'a Chume and numerous bodyguards were the only figures to come down the landing platform.  
  
She studied her granddaughter. Tenel Ka knew what she was observing-her soaked and disheveled hair, braided in the style of a warrior, her Dathomirian lizard hide armor.at least that was what she assumed. Ta'a Chume however seemed more to be surveying the surrounding Jedi Knights. Her eyes finally drifted to Tenel Ka and a dark, disappointed look drew over her face. Jacen took a protective step toward his friend. At this, the scheming old woman's face turned in even greater distaste.  
  
"Granddaughter." The former Hapan queen said simply.  
  
"What has brought you here, Grandmother?" Tenel Ka asked.  
  
A smile crossed Ta'a Chume's face. It was a dangerous smile that appeared backed by years of extensive plotting. "Ah, my Granddaughter, can't an old woman come and check on the studies of her own grandchild?"  
  
"Why are you here?" Tenel Ka asked again.  
  
The woman's face went sour for a moment. "It is concerning you, and I think you know why." She said. Jacen noted the game the two played again-who could outwit whom.  
  
"Ah. Aha. This concerns the same thing that your recent messages concerned. Is this a fact?"  
  
"Precisely my dear," the former queen opened her mouth to continue, but was abruptly cut off by Tenel Ka.  
  
"Then there is no need for you be here. I have told you I will not discuss this, and I have also told you I completely disagree with you." She glared at her grandmother. "I will not simply be 'arranged' like a doll for your plans." She cast a cold look at her. "As my father was not."  
  
"And look what came of that." Ta'a Chume replied sharply. "You are a mess child. Not befitting a princess at all."  
  
Tenel Ka didn't miss a beat. "If we must discuss this-"  
  
"And we must." T'a Chume cut in.  
  
"-If we must discuss this, we will do it another time, Grandmother." With that she turned and walked back into the Jedi Academy.  
  
Luke Skywalker strode forward to meet the matriarch now. "Greetings, Queen Mother Ta'a Chume." He looked back at his Jedi students. "I need to speak to the Queen Mother myself now." He told them. "If Tenel Ka wants to explain what's going on, I'm sure she will." He turned back to Tenel Ka's grandmother and went on speaking to her.  
  
Jacen shook his head and walked away. He and the other young Jedi Knights walked down the corridor to Tenel Ka's chamber. Jaina reached forward and knocked gently. "Tenel Ka?" She said.  
  
The door swished open and Tenel Ka stood in front of them. "I'm sorry," she said. "I did not know she was coming." She let out a small sigh. "I suppose you want to know what we were talking about." She stepped to the side and her friends piled into her room.  
  
Lowbacca gave a short bark. Em Teedee buzzed in behind him, giving a mostly unnecessary translation. "Master Lowbacca agrees most heartily to Mistress Tenel Ka's assumption and says he is very curious about the nature of her grandmother's visit."  
  
"Really?" Jacen said, glancing at the droid. "'Cause from here it sounded more like 'sure'." Em Teedee made a buzzing sound, which Jacen took for disgust.  
  
"Anyway," Zekk interjected. "I know I would like to know what's going on. Is everything okay, Tenel Ka?"  
  
She nodded. "Physically." She sighed again. "But my grandmother is up to her scheming again. She wishes to." She paused as if the next words were too horrible. She shook her head miserably. Jacen put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Go on," he urged. Jaina was surprised to note that this must not have been what the two had been discussing the night before.  
  
She started again. "She wishes to make me queen before my own choosing."  
  
Jacen scowled. "But wouldn't that mean you'd have to get mar-oh!" he looked stunned. "She's not trying to arrange a marriage! How could she?"  
  
Tenel Ka nodded solemnly. "I'm sure it is not necessary to tell you that her choices are.not what I would like to have to be with forever."  
  
Then what is? Jacen bit his lip to keep the question from flying out. "Who has she chosen?" He asked instead.  
  
"A prince from a system neighboring Hapes," she said. "Prince Arae of the Lithnus system."  
  
Jaina nodded with half-recognition. "Lithnus-why does that sound familiar?" Em Teedee piped up. "I do believe, Mistress Jaina, that Lithnus is a top producer of small starships. I believe they are involved in the development of a new craft for the New Republic. Rather innovative, if I do say so myself."  
  
"So she wants to get in with the New Republic again? Just like when she tried to get Mom to marry your dad, right?" Jacen asked.  
  
"This is a fact," Tenel Ka said. "Though for all the people involved in the New Republic, I don't see how she managed to find the most arrogant and rude of them all." Jacen couldn't help laughing even though he guessed that Tenel Ka had not meant it as a joke. "I even pointed out that he isn't even as close into the inner structure of the New Republic as some others." She trailed off. She spoke the next statement quickly, as if to cover something up. "She will listen to no one but herself."  
  
"Well I for one would like to know where she gets off thinking she can control you." Jacen said. Jaina, Zekk, and Lowbacca all gave him a surprised look at the amount of emotion with which he had said this. But he continued. "Well it's true, isn't it? She can't push you into something like that! Blaster bolts, if my family was trying to make me marry someone I didn't love.I can't even imagine how bad that must be." Tenel Ka blushed a delicate pink and quickly pretended to be looking at something away from Jacen to hide it.  
  
Lowbacca gave a series of barks. Em Teedee chose to respond rather than translate. "Well, Master Lowbacca, I for one do not find Master Jacen's remarks nearly as commendable as you do. To try to halt a process which has been carried out on Hapes for years-"  
  
"Until my parents." Tenel Ka pointed out.  
  
Em Teedee pushed on. "How one can get so emotional about such a thing, I will never understand."  
  
Jacen gave the droid a startlingly angry stare. "Don't you have any sympathy programmed into your little silver head at all?"  
  
Lowie gave an alarmed bark. Jaina nodded. "I agree with Lowie-I've never seen you so wound up about something."  
  
"I just." he seemed to be unable to find the words. He looked at Tenel Ka. "It's.no one deserves that. I know, like Lowie said, I usually don't get so.passionate like this, but if there's one thing you can't just drop on people's heads, it's love."  
  
Tenel Ka flushed a much brighter pink this time, but kept her gaze on Jacen despite this. "Jacen my friend, I am sure that my grandmother will have to give up eventually. I will not be pushed into a marriage. My parents will not stand for it either." She moved from her seat against the stone slab wall to sit next to him on her cot. "I wish you would not worry about it so much."  
  
Jacen was speechless. "I-I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry." Tenel Ka looked at him for a moment, looking as if she were going to say something. Instead, she turned to her other gathered friends.  
  
"When I speak to my grandmother, I would like you all there with me." She said.  
  
"No problem, Tenel Ka." Jaina said.  
  
Lowie woofed his enthusiastic agreement and Zekk nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to see what she'll say when she sees all of us."  
  
Em Teedee spoke. "Will you be requiring my translation services?" Lowbacca woofed a positive; the matriarch would need to understand him.  
  
Jacen gave Tenel Ka a lopsided grin. "You know I'll be there."  
  
"I did not think I could stop you, Jacen my friend." She said honestly. She gave him a small smile. Zekk and Jaina exchanged glances as they walked out of the room. Lowie made a bemused snuffling sound as he followed them out.  
  
"I agree," Em Teedee said. "Very strange indeed." 


	3. 3

Part Three  
Meeting  
  
The five Jedi and Em Teedee strode aboard the large Hapan cruiser to meet with Ta'a Chume. Inside, they found a large semicircular table awaiting them. The Jedi Knights sat on the rounded bench that lined the round said of the table. Ta'a Chume sat in the single seat across from them. Jaina was careful to stand back and let Jacen take his usual place next to Tenel Ka. Ta'a Chume watched this ritual, not bothering to hide her look of horrified revulsion. "Grandmother, we are ready to begin." Em Teedee hovered close behind her.  
  
"Good." The matriarch said flatly, still fixing a revolted glare on Jacen Solo. "Now tell me, Granddaughter, why you find my choice of your husband-to-be so bad." She gave a false smile. "He tells me he is eagerly awaiting meeting you."  
  
"You may inform him that we will not meet." Tenel Ka said.  
  
"How can you judge him? You have not spoken face to face yet."  
  
"The comm transmission was enough. He is rude, he is arrogant, and he is simply a horror." Tenel Ka said. One corner of her mouth was beginning to turn up in a smile at her grandmother's distaste. "And even if I met him today and found him to be the most perfect young man in all the galaxy- which I assure you is not possible-I would not marry him."  
  
"And why not?" The former queen asked coldly. "There is no good reason."  
  
"Because I." She hesitated. Jacen glanced at her. Tenel Ka suddenly felt that bringing her friends along had been a bad idea. "I know I can find so much better than your conceited prince in this large Universe." She let out a breath of relief. Beneath the table she felt the comforting warmth of Jacen's hand around hers. She smiled.  
  
"Young Princess, you do not understand. Prince Arae is wonderful. How can you doubt a man that already loves you, only having spoken to you twice?"  
  
"It is quite simple.and I believe my friends agree."  
  
Jacen looked at the matriarch with revulsion equal or greater to that which she had directed at him earlier. "You cannot do this."  
  
"And you are going to somehow prevent this, young Solo?" She said flippantly. "You are hardly an obstacle."  
  
"Whether you like it or not, your granddaughter can think for herself without you and your royal ego." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "She deserves better than to be pushed into a marriage with someone she does not love."  
  
Ta'a Chume shook her head. "Don't you see boy? She fancies herself a warrior. She will never fall in love, so I simply decided to make the decision easier for her."  
  
"I don't believe that for a second." Jacen said harshly. Tenel Ka felt his hand close more tightly around her own.  
  
"Jacen," Tenel Ka said. "I thank you, but-"  
  
He turned toward her with an expression somewhere between sorrow and rage. "I will not let her do this to you."  
  
"She will not, Jacen my friend. I think you may be trying to hard to defend me. You may be imagining that there is more to defend against than there is."  
  
"Yes!" Ta'a Chume hissed. "Listen to the Princess. Leave her alone!"  
  
"That is not what I said, Grandmother." A sly grin appeared on Tenel Ka's face. "I believe you have other reasons for trying to get me to marry now."  
  
"That's ridiculous, child." The former queen said. "What could I possibly want other than to see you in your proper place with a proper husband-"  
  
"You fear that I will fall in love before you can get me where you want me." The smile did not leave her face.  
  
"That is ridiculous." She said again. "First of all, that you would fall in love with someone, but more.who would fall in love with a one-armed girl bent on being a Jedi of all things?"  
  
This took Tenel Ka by surprise. She knew her grandmother was cruel, but that.Jacen stood up and fixed the matriarch with a look of complete disbelief. "How could you say that to your own granddaughter? Do you have any conscious at all?" He shook his head. "To say that no one would love her.how.how could you?" His voice had sunk to a whisper. Out of the corner of her eye, Tenel Ka saw Jaina whisper something to Lowbacca and Zekk. The three, along with Em Teedee, quietly crept out of the shuttle and waited outside.  
  
"Jacen, my friend, I do not need you to defend me." She was astounded to find her voice choked with emotion. "I can handle this."  
  
"I know you can, Tenel Ka, but she." Jacen looked even more surprised than Tenel Ka. "Are you-"  
  
"No!" Tenel Ka said. She would not let the tears escape. "I am fine." Why was she crying? Nothing her grandmother said ever had any effect on her.and neither did this. It was Jacen. His pure emotion in her defense was what was pulling her heart.  
  
"You see? You only push people away from you." The former queen let a grin of triumph appear on her face. "You will never be in love unless you give in to this one simple arrangement."  
  
Jacen started to yell something at the old matriarch again, but Tenel Ka placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Please, Jacen," She said. "It is all right."  
  
"No," he said. His voice was so thick with his anger at the former queen that he was barely understandable.  
  
"Do not give in to your anger," Tenel Ka said seriously. "It can be very dangerous."  
  
At this, Jacen took a deep breath, a Jedi relaxation technique, Tenel Ka guessed. She let her hand drop off his shoulder and slide down to hug him quickly before standing up as if to leave. "Grandmother, I do not believe what you say. I am quite capable of loving people. Do I not love my own parents?"  
  
"I think you know that that is not what I mean." Ta'a Chume replied.  
  
"I have friends." Tenel Ka said. Something about the way she said it made Jacen feel like she was dodging the queen's accusations somehow.  
  
"Ah yes, but they are only friends, are they not, Tenel Ka?" Jacen wasn't sure why, but this seemed to upset Tenel Ka more than anything else her grandmother had said.  
  
"Perhaps we could continue this discussion some other time." Tenel Ka said. She stood up and she and Jacen walked out of the shuttle and down the boarding ramp. Jacen turned to regroup with Jaina, Lowie, Zekk, and Em Teedee, but to his surprise, Tenel Ka walked away from them all and off into the jungles of Yavin 4. 


	4. 4

Part Four  
Believe  
  
Zekk, Jacen, and Lowie all turned to go after her. Jaina called them back. "Zekk, Lowie.I think maybe it would be best if just Jacen went." Jacen looked a bit embarrassed but nodded.  
  
"I think I know where she went." He said, a walked off into the thick forest. He walked a fairly long way, past the waterfall and crumbling remains of ancient temples. He came to a smallish clearing where a fire must have burned off the underbrush. It was clear, green, and covered in soft grass. He saw Tenel Ka leaning against a tall Massassi tree facing away from him. Rather than call to her, he slowly walked up behind her.  
  
Jacen knew that Tenel Ka most likely sensed him through the Force, but if she did she did not acknowledge it. He silently sat down behind her and, mustering all his courage, slid his arms carefully around her shoulders. He quickly realized it was a mistake-the very independent warrior would most likely jump up and lasso Jacen with her fibercord like she had when she first encountered Zekk. But to Jacen's shock (and pleasure) she instead leaned back against him.  
  
"I am so sorry." She said. "I would not have asked you to come if I had known she was going to be like that."  
  
"I knew she could be cruel." Jacen said. "Then again, I can't believe she would say that.to anyone, I mean." But especially you, he thought.  
  
"Do you think she is right?" Tenel Ka asked him softly. "That even if I allowed myself to fall in love, no one but someone hand-picked by her would ever be with me?"  
  
"Tenel Ka, I." Jacen stammered.  
  
"I know. I am being foolish. It is in the Jedi code-there is no emotion, there is peace." She turned to face him. He kept his arms around her.  
  
"I hope you don't believe her." Jacen said. "She is.so wrong." He pulled her close to him. She slid her single arm round him and returned the embrace. But to Jacen's surprise, she stayed wrapped in his arms as she spoke,  
  
"I do not know what to believe."  
  
"Well.it's not her, I can tell you that much." Jacen said softly.  
  
She pulled back from him. "I do not know what to believe." She said again. "But I do know one thing-there is no place for such emotion in the life of a Jedi and warrior."  
  
"I don't know how true that is, either," Jacen said. "I mean, Uncle Luke is a Jedi Master and he's married. My mom is a Jedi! Blaster bolts, I'm a Jedi and-" He stopped as her cool gray eyes fixed on him. "I mean, uh, it's not like I've never had a crush on some girl." He nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, I'm sixteen years old. What can I say?"  
  
"Ah." Tenel Ka said. "Aha." She leaned against the tree again, staring up at the sky. "But perhaps you do not understand the heritage of both Hapes and Dathomir.the men are powerless. They are selected when needed, as my grandmother is doing now. Even on Dathomir men are usually only chosen when required for childbearing." She scowled. "I do not agree with either culture on this issue."  
  
"Me either." Jacen said. There was a long strange silence. Tenel Ka kept gazing upward. Jacen studied her fine features.how her long red-gold hair shimmered in the rosy evening sun, how her cool gray eyes reflected the pinkish sky as the sun set.oh, what was he thinking? Now he had to find a way to break the silence. "So, um, you heard the one about the Ewok who mistook a stormtrooper for a-"  
  
Tenel Ka looked over at him. "Yes." She said. Jacen frowned. He should have known that humor wasn't the way to go. "But," Tenel Ka said. "I think I need humor now.tell it to me again."  
  
Jacen smiled more broadly than he had in days. "How about on the way back to the temple? It's getting late." Tenel Ka nodded. She pulled herself to her feet and looked at him. Their eyes locked and Jacen thought he felt the energy again, as he had the night they had been out in the hallway. I really need to get over this, Jacen thought. But this time Tenel Ka's eyes widened.  
  
"Did you feel that?" She asked. Her voice held a quality he had never heard in her before, but he couldn't quite place what it was. Jacen nodded. "That is not the first time I have felt it." She said. "Very.strange."  
  
Jacen flashed her a lopsided grin. For some reason, her friend's sweet smile seemed to pull at Tenel Ka's heart. She pushed away the thought as soon as it appeared. No! She thought. That is exactly what Grandmother was talking about! If you feel something.tell him!  
  
"Jacen, I." She could not find the right words. "I feel that there is some sort of energy at work here. I think I should contact my great- grandmother on Dathomir. She is more than competent at identifying strange currents in the Force. Let us go back to the temple immediately and make contact with her." She started walking with Jacen close behind. "Oh and Jacen," She turned back to him. "Don't forget about the joke."  
  
Jacen grinned. He took her hand and the two began walking back to the Jedi Academy. "Okay, so this Ewok walks into a spaceport."  
  
**  
  
At the academy, Tenel Ka went to contact Augwynne Djo while Jacen went to explain to the others. Jacen walked to Jaina's room where Lowie, Zekk, and Jaina were already talking about what had happened aboard Tenel Ka's grandmother's shuttle. At Jacen's appearance, the conversation cut of sharply. "She's gone to talk to her great-grandmother." He said as he entered and took a seat.  
  
"You mean Augwynne Djo?" Jaina asked. Jacen nodded. "But what about?"  
  
"Well it's." Suddenly realizing how closely related this event was with that of their agreed secret-the nightmares-he stopped. "Uh, I don't think Tenel Ka wants to tell anyone just yet. But everyone's okay." He said. Jaina smiled.  
  
"Yeah, that's fine." She said. "I can't blame her, after what her grandmother said to her."  
  
Jacen's eyes went dark. "I can't believe that anyone could be that brutal. I knew the woman was cruel.but to say that no one would ever love her is beyond malicious."  
  
"Not to mention I have a feeling that she's very wrong." Zekk added slowly. "Am I right, Jacen?"  
  
He frowned. "I suppose. I mean, why wouldn't someone love her?"  
  
Lowie woofed at him. Zekk gave a short laugh at the Wookie's comment. "Of course he knows what I'm talking about, Lowie, but did you really think he would answer it directly?" Lowie let out another string of grunts and growls ending in a long snort.  
  
"Hey!" Jacen said. "She's my best friend-I don't know what you're talking about! I mean, of course I love her! As a friend! Nothing else." He said with a great finality.  
  
Behind him, Tenel Ka entered the room and looked at him with her strong gaze. "It is good to know I will always have friends." She said. There was a touch of sadness in her voice that Jacen didn't understand, but didn't ask about. "My great-grandmother would like to see you as well." She said.  
  
She and Jacen walked back to the comm station. The old wrinkled face of Augwynne Djo smiled at them. "Daughter of my daughter's daughter," She said. "This is the boy you speak of?"  
  
"Yes Great-grandmother." Tenel Ka said with a brief nod.  
  
"I sense that he is everything you have said he was."  
  
"Been talking about me?" He smiled comically.  
  
"Only what was necessary to understanding the situation." Tenel Ka said plainly.  
  
Augwynne's face lit with renewed interest in Tenel Ka's story. "Only what was necessary? I'd say you added a few details, child." Jacen's questioning face went from Tenel Ka to Augwynne. "Don't worry, dear boy. It was certainly nothing bad.something about your smile I recall." She laughed as Tenel Ka turned a vibrant red. Of course, Jacen was too busy hiding his own embarrassment to notice.  
  
"Great-grandmother." Tenel Ka pressed on. "This is not what we came to talk about."  
  
"Ah, but it is, child." Augwynne said. "There is obviously a strong bond between you. That is the energy you felt. Sometimes the Force.just has ways of drawing people together."  
  
"The nightmares, though-" Jacen started.  
  
"Think about what they were about. Jacen, you dreamed of Tenel Ka's worst accident, and Tenel Ka of yours. Obviously, these events must mean something to you both."  
  
Tenel Ka took a deep breath. She had to be honest. "I had never been more terrified than when I saw Jacen falling into the clouds.the thought of losing you was too much to bear." She had turned to face him.  
  
"When.you lost your arm, I honestly thought I had killed you. I just wanted to die." He gulped. "So I guess those experiences did mean a lot to us."  
  
"No," Augwynne said. "It is not the incident that means much to you." She let this hang in the air as she cut off the connection.  
  
"Perhaps," Tenel Ka said. "I now know what I should believe." 


	5. 5

Part Five  
Sacrifice  
  
"I think now might be a good time to back and talk to Ta'a Chume." Jacen said.  
  
Tenel Ka nodded. "This is a fact. I'm not sure what there is to say, but I am sure that I will find more to speak of than before." The two walked out to the landing pad. Tenel Ka reached up and pounded on the entry hatch to her grandmother's spacecraft. A bodyguard opened the door. "We wish to speak to my grandmother now." They stepped aside, letting in the princess and her friend.  
  
"Princess, you have returned." Ta'a Chume said. "And.you've brought him again." They three sat down where they had been on their first meeting.  
  
"Grandmother, tell me, what is it that makes you want to convince me that I will not find love in anyone but your silly prince?"  
  
"Have you ever been in love, Princess?" The shrewd matriarch asked.  
  
Tenel Ka bit her lip. She closed her eyes for a moment. What did she say? If she said no.the queen would win, but if she said yes.could she say yes?  
  
".Not having been in love yet does not mean I will not be in the future." She said finally. It was not exactly the truth, but Tenel Ka had never been so unsure in her life.  
  
"And you, boy," She said, directing her attention to Jacen. "What business do you have defending the princess as you have been? You may be Son of the Chief of State, but certainly not royalty. I would prefer you kept away from Tenel Ka."  
  
Jacen slipped an arm around Tenel Ka's waist. Tenel Ka would have enjoyed it greatly had she not been so sure it was there purely to anger Ta'a Chume. "I do not care what your preference is."  
  
"You will." Ta'a Chume responded. She snapped her fingers. Five of the armored bodyguards walked toward Tenel Ka and Jacen.  
  
Tenel Ka put her arm around him and pulled him closer to her. "You will not harm him." She said. "If you will not be rational, we will leave." The two Jedi rose slowly and started for the door, cautiously picking past the guards. Just as they turned towards the door, Tenel Ka's sharp ears heard a soft clicking that not even Jacen detected. She reacted with blinding speed, pushing him back and jumping in front of him. Sure enough, the sound had been exactly what she had guessed-the sound of a Hapan handheld cannon. She braced herself for the impact. All she remembered was blinding pain and the brightest light she had ever seen. Then there was complete blackness.  
  
**  
  
In the Jedi Academy's medical center, Jacen ran around frantically helping anywhere he could. Jaina, Lowie, Zekk, and even Em Teedee were already looking over various computer systems to make sure Tenel Ka was being treated the best ways possible. Jacen was still the most horrified by Tenel Ka's sacrifice-after all, it had been for him. Jacen had grabbed Tenel Ka and dashed back into the Academy before the guards could figure out what to do. Ta'a Chume had fled back to Hapes.  
  
Luke Skywalker, Teneniel Djo, and Prince Isolder were speaking softly to a medical droid. Luke nodded solemnly. He looked back at the congregation of Jedi and the miniature droid. "Why don't you all clear out. The doctors need some space." He said.  
  
"But- " Jaina began to argue.  
  
"Please go." Luke said sternly.  
  
The five Jedi and Em Teedee-whom Lowie had switched off-went into the tiny waiting room outside the main medical center. Jacen had completely lost any composure he may have had. "It's all my fault." He said. "If I would have just backed off.she sacrificed herself for me of all people! Why?"  
  
Teneniel Djo poked her head out of the medical office. "Jacen," she said. "We need to talk to you."  
  
He stepped inside. "I.I'm so sorry." He said. He could think of nothing else.  
  
"It is not your fault, Jacen." Teneniel said. Isolder nodded.  
  
"What we needed to tell you was.well, your uncle thought that you would want to know what was going to happen as soon as possible." He said.  
  
Jacen nodded vigorously. "Please tell me she's going to be okay!"  
  
"We cannot, Jacen." Teneniel said. "Though the bacta has healed her burns and cuts.it appears that the electrical impulses of that bolt may have caused permanent damage." Teneniel was doing her best to hold back her emotion, as was Isolder. "Most likely.fatal damage."  
  
Jacen felt as if a ronto had been dropped on his stomach. He found that he could not take in a breath or make any kind of sound at all. Finally, he managed to croak. "I.I have to see her."  
  
"The doctors say that you can see her in-" Luke was interrupted by Jacen.  
  
"I have to see her now."  
  
"It is alright with us." Teneniel said. Isolder agreed.  
  
"Go on in." Luke said to him. "But I warn you.you.may be very disturbed by what you see."  
  
Jacen shook his head. "That's not possible." He pushed his way into Tenel Ka's room and collapsed by her bedside. Indeed, she was a mess. Her hair was slightly seared on one side. There was heavy scarring covering her entire right arm. But Jacen saw none of it. "Oh Tenel Ka," he said. "I don't know if you can hear me.but I have a feeling you can. You listen and listen carefully-you will not die, because I will not be able to go on without you, and you know it. I don't care what your grandmother says. I love you, Tenel Ka. I always have. And I will not lose you now." He cast a quick glance around to see if anyone was looking.and he leaned in closer to her. He gave another nervous glimpse around before putting one hand behind her head, threading his fingers in her beautiful red-gold hair.and he kissed her. He pulled away quickly as he noticed her wounded hand begin to move, just slightly.  
  
Her eyes opened the smallest bit. She whispered weakly to him. "Jacen."  
  
He could not hold it back anymore. Jacen began crying uncontrollably. The words fell out of his mouth just as the tears poured down his face-in an endless cascade. "Oh Tenel Ka.you.you're everything to me.I can't even imagine being without you. I.you're.you're just so beautiful and caring and strong and.everything." He tenderly placed his arms around her. "You will not die, you hear me? You can't!"  
  
"Jacen." She whispered again. She sounded unbearably weak. "I.have to." She stopped as if she was struggling to breathe. "I.have.to.tell.you." She stopped again, but this time it looked like she couldn't catch her breath again at all.  
  
Jacen lowered her back down and started calling for help. "Hey! We need a med droid or a doctor or someone over here now! There's something wrong." Two doctors appeared over Tenel Ka, pressing buttons on several large machines, passing papers back and forth, and chattering nervously about something.  
  
One of them finally spoke. "Sir, you need to leave now." She said.  
  
"What? Why? What's going on? I need to be with her!"  
  
"Sir, please exit now." Jacen found himself being escorted-forced out-the door by a medical droid.  
  
"What happened?" Jaina asked.  
  
The tears started flowing down Jacen's face again. "She was trying to tell me something, and she.I don't even know. Something happened to her, and then the doctors kicked me out."  
  
Jaina wiped a tear away from her eyes. "I hope she's okay." She said.  
  
Zekk moved closer to her. "She'll be okay." He said, although Jaina could hear the sorrowful uncertainty in his voice.  
  
She hesitantly leaned over towards him and rested her head on her shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, astonishing Jaina greatly. "It'll be okay." He whispered softly to her as he stroked her brown hair. Jaina knew that he was not sure of any such thing, but his unexpectedly poignant (Loving? Jaina wondered) move to comfort her proved strangely effective.  
  
The doctor that had ordered Jacen's removal stepped back out and faced the crowd of friends and family. "It appears that what you witnessed, Master Solo, was actually a good thing. It was just too fast for her at first. For some reason, her energy levels skyrocketed. They went up too sharply and she lost her breath for a minute, but now it looks like she'll be fine." She smiled at Jacen. "Are you a Jedi healer?" She asked him.  
  
"I-n-no," He stammered.  
  
"Well.then you two must have something very special." She smiled again and walked back into the medical center. A few seconds later, the door reopened. Jacen swallowed hard. Had something happened? But the doctor was smiling still. "She says she wants to see you, Master Solo."  
  
Jacen beamed. He leapt off his chair and in to the med center to kneel next to Tenel Ka again. "Jacen my friend." She said. She smiled brilliantly at him. "Jacen, it seems that the energy we felt before has now saved me." She kept on smiling. "I heard you talking to me while I was unconscious.I mean, I know you were talking but I wasn't sure what you were saying." She allowed herself a small contented sigh. "But it was enough."  
  
"You were trying to tell me something." Jacen said.  
  
"Ah." Tenel Ka said. "Aha. This is a fact. But."  
  
"You don't have to say anything." Jacen said. He leaned forward and softly kissed her again. She put her arm around him and returned the kiss affectionately.  
  
"Jacen," She said quietly, looking deep into his eyes. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, Tenel Ka." He said. "And I sincerely doubt that your grandmother can do anything to stop it."  
  
"This," She said, tears beginning to sparkle in her eyes. "Is a fact." 


End file.
